Constitutional Court stops deduction of fines from social benefits

The Czech Constitutional Court has ruled that authorities can no longer deduct unpaid fines from social benefits, responding to a petition by 17 senators. The court deemed the practice, which affected entire households, as collective punishment and unconstitutional. The law had allowed deductions from benefits like living allowances and housing supplements for unpaid fines, including public order violations. The court emphasized that this could lower people’s living standards below the subsistence level and violate the principle of individual responsibility. The senators who initiated the petition stressed the need for prevention and support, rather than punitive measures, to address such issues.